Vegan roast & gluten-free gravy

PREP + COOK TIME 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

⅓ cup (70g) white quinoa

1 extra-large zucchini (350g), halved lengthways 1 small leek (200g), white part only

1.9kg whole butternut pumpkin, halved lengthways 1 small onion (80g), chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled

3 teaspoons ground linseed

2 tablespoons hot water

2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

¼ cup (35g) dried cranberries

⅓ cup (35g) hazelnut meal

VEGAN GRAVY

50g vegan margarine spread

1 small onion (80g), chopped finely

2 tablespoons plain or gluten-free flour

2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock

1 tablespoon tamari

1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

2 Bring ⅔ cup (160ml) water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Cool.

3 Scoop flesh from zucchini using a metal spoon, leaving a 5mm border; reserve zucchini flesh. Trim leek, if necessary, to fit inside zucchini. Scoop seeds from pumpkin; discard. Scoop flesh from pumpkin, to make a cavity large enough to fit zucchini; reserve pumpkin flesh. Trim zucchini, if necessary, to fit inside pumpkin.

4 Prick the insides of zucchini and pumpkin shells with a fork. Process reserved zucchini flesh and reserved pumpkin flesh with onion and garlic until finely chopped.

5 Combine ground linseed and the hot water in a medium bowl; stand for 10 minutes.

6 Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped vegetable mixture, quinoa and thyme, then season; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender. Cool.

7 Combine quinoa mixture, linseed mixture, cranberries and hazelnut meal. Press some of the stuffing mixture into zucchini cavities. Position leek into one half of the zucchini; cover with the other half. Press remaining stuffing into pumpkin cavities. Place stuffed zucchini in one pumpkin half; cover with the other half. Secure pumpkin together with kitchen string. Brush with remaining oil; season. Wrap in foil; place in a roasting pan.

8 Roast for 1½ hours. Remove foil; roast for a further 30 minutes or until the outside is browned and vegetables are tender. Stand, covered for 30 minutes.

9 Make vegan gravy. Serve roast sliced with gravy.

VEGAN GRAVY Heat margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add flour; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Gradually stir in stock and tamari; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Strain. Season to taste.